The present invention relates to a high pressure seal between joined members and particularly, to providing such a seal with a resilient gasket which is either continually compressed by a spring means or compressed within a bore or cavity to preclude voids at the sealing interface.
The seal of this invention has particular advantages for use in liquid chromatography detector cells for sealing the end windows which cover the cell chamber, as illustrated by the liquid chromatography (L.C.) detector cell assembly described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 547,758 filed Feb. 6, 1975. Therefore this seal is described herein with reference to its use in such a cell. It will be appreciated, however, that the seal structure of this invention is also adaptable for use in other applications such as between abutting flanges of pipe joints.
High pressure seals known in the art customarily utilize elastomeric "O" rings or deformable metal parts as the gasket element. However, the grooves and face surfaces which cooperate with such gaskets to provide effective pressure tight seals must be accurately machined to very close tolerances so that these seals are somewhat expensive. Moreover, these seals, and other conventional sealing arrangements, are apt to prevent voids at the sealing interface in which gas bubbles or liquids tend to become trapped. In many applications, such entrapment is not a problem, but in analytical instrumentation such entrapment is a major consideration. A liquid chromatograph is one such instrument wherein samples are tested for traces of particular materials and wherein the conduits and interiors of detector cells must be rinsed clean of sample material before the introduction of a new test sample. Such cleaning is necessary because any residue of previous test material will contaminate successive samples to some extent and could severely reduce or completely destroy the usefulness of successive readings.
It is, therefore, the objects of the present invention to provide a continual high pressure, leak proof seal that is economical and to providing a sealing structure such that interfacing voids at which gas bubbles or liquid could become trapped are eliminated.